I’ll Be in My Office

Anyone heard the name Divco before? Do the words Grumman Olson conjure up any vehicular visions? What about an International Harvester Metro Van? What does that bring to mind? Chances are, unless you’re a serious car buff, these names probably mean about as much to you as a subscription to Hit Parader — it’s a thing of the past.

There was a time when vehicles bearing these monikers were emblazoned with the name of someone’s business, and, much like mailmen, went about their daily routines delivering milk, bread, or were the work vans of your local plumber or ice cream man.

If you still live in a neighborhood where the chimes of “When the Saints Go Marching in” bring the children running for a pack of candy cigarettes or Good Humor bars, consider yourself blessed. This kind of boutique service delivered in a rolling office is circling the drain the same way drive-in movie theaters are.

Nostalgic reflections aside though, we’re seeing a new trend in businesses who want to promote themselves. Although pretty much gone are the days of boxy step vans, they’ve made way for some serious 4x4s that perform double duty as rolling billboard and practical SHTF vehicle. JJ Rouanzoin’s Toyota Tundra is just such a truck.

Tucked away at the southwest end of Colorado is Bayfield — a rural community where JJ’s company, Colorado Gun Fighter, is headquartered. After spending 10 years in the Army, JJ thought he’d start a Class 3 firearms sales and training business. When it came to marketing efforts, it made sense to have a vehicle that’d double as a daily driver and bug-out truck if the situation called for it. We have yet to see someone attempt that angle with a PT Cruiser for obvious reasons.

Yes, this vehicle definitely has more to offer than vinyl wrap graphics. The underpinnings consist of a BDS 8-inch lift kit with King coilovers in the front and adjustable shocks in the rear. Stopping duties are handled via a TRD big brake kit. It all sits on 37-inch Toyo MTs and 20-inch Fuel wheels.

Corey at InSain Fab is credited with building the custom bumpers, roof rack for the CVT tent and awning as well as the base for the Barrett 82A1 gun mount in the bed. Extreme LED in Denver took care of the various lightbars, rock lights, and bed lighting. The truck retains its original V-8 with a Bully Dog programmer and Gibson cat-back exhaust while JJ waits for a supercharger he intends to add.

Aside from the JL Audio and Kenwood DVD/navigation on the inside, Axxis Audio also created a dual-battery setup with a marine deep-cell battery in the bed hidden in an ammo can with an invertor located on the top. Both batteries are daisy chained together so you can use one to charge the other and run both at the same time if needed. Seat covers from Coverking and a safe by Console Vault round out the interior accouterments. The truck also sports a WaterPORT pressurized water storage system that can be used for drinking, showering, or cleaning off gear.

One could argue, “Why’d he stop there?” but we think JJ chose to keep things simple. Although JJ says he misses the power of his diesel Super Duty, he relays to us that maintenance is comparatively cheaper and infrequent, which is a testament to Toyota’s engineering. It’s a functional piece of equipment that serves as a rolling office. What more could you ask for? Most of the time vehicles are either built to show or built to go. This one does both. There’s something to be said for that.